Tax: it’s the politics, stupid

Not content with the questionable strategy – not to mention thoughtful gift to David Cameron – of our insisting on the extension of 50% tax band indefinitely, Ed Balls has now indicated in a Progress interview that he is thinking about implementing one of his leadership campaign planks as well, and lowering the threshold of the band. Now, I have no doubt… Continue reading Tax: it’s the politics, stupid

Labour must speak not only for organised labour

As predictable headlines follow Ed Miliband committing to speak at the TUC rally on March 26th, it’s useful to take a more detached look at how the relationships between Party, movement and workplace demographics interact. Let’s not be daft – no-one sensible is saying that Labour is “in the pocket of the unions”; however, it is not a particularly wild claim that… Continue reading Labour must speak not only for organised labour

So, the alternative to Cameron’s vision: we’re offering what, exactly?

David Cameron has many failings, but he is patently not a racist.  There may just remain a few old Powellites in his party rank and file but largely, whether we like it or not, accusations of latent racism no longer dog the Tories.  And it may just be, paradoxically, Cameron’s Saturday speech was more of… Continue reading So, the alternative to Cameron’s vision: we’re offering what, exactly?

Soft left or soft thinking? a response to Neal Lawson

In these uneasy days for Labour, there has surely been a renaissance of the Kinnockite “soft left”, excited by Ed Miliband’s victory. Fair enough, you say. But so far the thinking emanating from this renaissance seems not just woolly, but dangerously flawed. A case in point is the article posted in last week’s Guardian by… Continue reading Soft left or soft thinking? a response to Neal Lawson